Dassault put on notice for French Navy Falcon 2000 Albatros fleet
The French government has announced it will contract Dassault for the production of 12 Falcon 2000 Albatros maritime multirole aircraft.
The French minister of the armed forces, Florence Parly has announced the country’s government will order a fleet of 12 Dassault Falcon 2000 Albatros maritime multirole aircraft.
Setting out the plan during a 19 November visit to Dassault’s Seclin facility in northern France, she confirmed that the order – under the ‘Albatros’ Maritime Surveillance and Intervention Aircraft (AVSIMAR) programme – will see an initial seven aircraft contracted in line with France’s existing multiyear military spending bill, with a further five to be ordered thereafter.
Deliveries of the aircraft to the French Navy are set to begin from 2025 onward with Dassault explaining that the Albatros will feature a multifunction radar under the fuselage, a high-performance optronic turret, observation windows, a SAR kit release system and communication systems.
‘In line with the aeronautical maintenance transformation policy initiated by the French Ministry of the Armed Forces, the Albatros contract commits Dassault Aviation to a guaranteed availability clause, favouring industrial support in close cooperation with Navy personnel for 10 years,’ the company said in a statement.
The first Falcon 2000LXS aircraft on which the AVSIMAR programme is based will be manufactured in France with all others set to be produced in India as part of 'offset arrangements’ linked to the 2016 Rafale contract that saw New Delhi order 36 of the fighter jets from Dassault. Conversion of the 12 Falcon 2000LXS aircraft to the Albatros configuration will take place in France.
The French government operates Falcon 10, 200, 50, 900, 2000, 7X aircraft with 8X aircraft to follow under the Archange airborne strategic intelligence programme, according to Dassault.
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